ted
by military arms in stone. Beyond these gates, still in the same straight
line, runs the Royal Avenue, formerly known as White Stiles. It is
mentioned very early in the Hospital records, payments for masonry and
carpentry work being noted in 1692. Faulkner repeats a tradition to the
effect that Queen Anne intended to have extended this avenue right
through to the gates of the palace at Kensington, and was only prevented
from carrying it out by her death. At present the avenue intersected by
Queen's Road and St. Leonard's Terrace is disjointed and purposeless.

RANELAGH GARDENS.

The site of Ranelagh Gardens, which in their zenith eclipsed even the
Vauxhall Gardens as a place of entertainment, is now included in the
grounds of the Royal Hospital.

Richard, Earl of Ranelagh, Paymaster-General of the Forces in the reign
of James II., was a thoroughly unscrupulous but an able man. He was three
times censured for appropriating the public money to his own private use,
and was finally expelled from his office in the fourth year of Queen
Anne's reign. Notwithstanding this, he obtained a grant of some land
belonging to the Royal Hospital in 1690, when the building was nearly
completed. This land lay to the south of the burial-ground, and between
the Hospital and what is now known as Bridge Road. This was leased to him
for sixty-one years at an annual rent of L15 7s. 6d. He built a house on
it, and soon after obtained fifteen acres more at L30 4s. per annum, and
finally a third grant, which in 1698 was confirmed to him with that
portion he already held, to be held in fee on condition of his paying an
annual rent of L5 to the Hospital. This Earl, described by Swift as the
"vainest old fool I ever saw," seems to have had great delight in
landscape-gardening. He laid out his land with fastidious care, and thus
paved the way for the public gardens of the future. His grounds are
described in "Views of the Gardens near London, December, 1691," by
Gibson:

"My Lord Ranelagh's garden being but lately made, plants are but small;
but the plats, borders, and walks are curiously kept and elegantly
designed, having the advantage of opening into Chelsea College walks. The
kitchen-garden there lies very fine, with walks and seats, one of which
being large and covered was then under the hands of a curious painter.
The house here is very fine within, all the rooms being wainscoted with
Norway oak, and all the chimneys adorned with carvi